Leading causes of death differed by stroke type in survivors
Heart disease accounted for 31.6% of deaths after blocked-vessel strokes versus 15.9% after bleeding strokes, where cancer led at 38.9%.
Our read
Populations- Studied:
- Cohort study of 625 deceased stroke survivors, against hemorrhagic stroke survivors
- What changed:
- Heart disease accounted for 31.6% of deaths after blocked-vessel strokes versus 15.9% after bleeding strokes
- The catch:
- Age and existing heart disease differed between stroke groups and could explain mortality patterns
Editor of record: Boris Djordjevic · AgingResearch.News
The 1,141 stroke survivors in a retrospective cohort study had a mean age of 73.8 years, and 47.6% were male. Researchers identified patients with acute strokes during 2017–2020 in one health system’s electronic records and tracked survival through December 31, 2025.
Among the survivors, 625 died during follow-up. After ischemic strokes, caused by blocked blood vessels, heart disease led the recorded causes of death at 31.6%, followed by cancer at 18.4%. After hemorrhagic strokes, caused by bleeding, cancer led at 38.9%, followed by heart disease at 15.9%. Median survival was 5.5 years after ischemic stroke and 5.8 years after hemorrhagic stroke.
Why it matters
For older stroke survivors, the results bear on how follow-up care might address risks beyond another stroke. The authors interpreted the patterns as highlighting gaps in heart and cancer screening.
Caveats
The stroke groups differed in age and existing heart disease, which may have contributed to the mortality patterns. These conference-abstract findings used death certificates for patients from one health system and did not test whether screening improved outcomes.
The paper
Cedars-Sinai Smidt Heart Institute; Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
AHA Scientific Sessions 2026 Abstract, Nov 2, 2026
Presented at AHA Scientific Sessions 2026, abstract 8337
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